Tom's Diner
by SareRide9
Summary: Annabeth is chillin' at a diner with Thalia and Rachel. Song-Fic!


**Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians or any of the surrounding characters.**

I looked at the sign on the tiny restaurant on the corner, brushing some of my blonde curls out of my face so I could see clearly. It was, in fact, the place that Percy had recommended during an Iris-message yesterday. The windows were reflective and I was grateful that I didn't look like a drowned cat. My owl earrings weren't visible with the hood of my sea-green jacket that Percy got me last Christmas over my head, the shirt that read 'CAMP HALF-BLOOD' wasn't visible either - for good reason. The black skinny jeans held mortal money and drachmas, and the stylish - or so Rachel says - boots hid two knifes. The monsters attacked less, but I was never one to go unprepared.

I opened the door, making the bells jingle and the man looked up and smiled politely at me. "Good morning." He didn't look much older than my eighteen but he had brown hair with hints of gray and a kindly face, much unlike the Hermes kids.

"'Morning." I said back, "I'm waiting for two of my friends. Could we get counter seats?"

He nodded and gestured for me to pick whichever I wanted. I sat sat down and ordered a coffee, and glanced around. It was a small place and it was comfortable, just like Percy said.

The guy came back with the coffee and looked down at it and frowned, because it was only halfway full. I opened my mouth to complain, but saw him looking at the door.

_I am sitting  
In the morning  
At the diner  
On the corner_

_I am waiting_  
_At the counter_  
_For the man_  
_To pour the coffee_

_And he fills it_  
_Only halfway_  
_And before_  
_I even argue_

_He is looking_  
_Out the window_  
_At somebody_  
_Coming in_

The chime of the bells made me turn around, and my frown deepened because it wasn't Thalia - who had _finally_ got a few days away from Artemis - or Rachel, who I had become friends with, surprising everyone. It was a girl with mousy brown hair with pink highlights, dressed casually, because of the dark red polka-dotted umbrella she's shaking out. I looked back to the guy, ready to demand that he give me the rest of my coffee, but instead my mouth snapped closed. He had the same look in his eyes that Percy did when he looked at me.

He said something, and went over to greet the girl with a kiss. I ducked my head down and my hair became a very handy curtain.

I poured the milk into the coffee and took a sip, realizing how tired I really was. I didn't get to sleep much last night - or this morning - because I was editing some of the architecture designs for Olympus. Hades and Zeus were bickering and Poseidon was trying to stay out of it, while Artemis and Apollo kept up their usual banter. The two I spent the most time working on were my mother's and Poseidon's, mostly because she was my mother and he was my boyfriends father. Hera and Aphrodite kept arguing that one or the others was grander and I had to go back and show them that that wasn't possible. It started up all again the next day.

_"It is always  
Nice to see you."  
Says the man  
Behind the counter_

_To the woman_  
_Who has come in_  
_She is shaking_  
_Her umbrella_

_And I look_  
_The other way_  
_As they are kissing_  
_Their hellos_

_I'm pretending_  
_Not to see them_  
_Instead_  
_I pour the milk_

I grabbed the paper next to me, not wanting to interrupt their moment since that's happened to me countless times at Camp. I have Dyslexia just like any other half-blood and it was extremely hard to make out anything with all the print so close to each other, it was adding to my headache. The only thing I'd really managed to read was that some actor that I'd never heard of died drunk. Frustrated, I flipped through the pages going to the horoscopes until I realized that I couldn't make that out either. I flipped to the cartoons, giving up, and looked for Percy's favorite. This was why I had never liked the New York Times. I twirled the gray strand of hair absentmindedly, completely giving up on the newspaper, and started humming a song.

That was when my ADHD started acting up. The back of my neck was prickling in an unpleasant way, I whipped my head around so fast that I was momentarily dizzy. I blinked a few times, forcing the person that was staring at me to come into focus.

_I open  
Up the paper  
There's a story  
Of an actor_

_Who had died_  
_While he was drinking_  
_It was no one_  
_I had heard of_

_And I'm turning_  
_To the horoscope_  
_And looking_  
_For the funnies_

_When I'm feeling  
Someone watching me  
And so  
I raise my head_

The first thing I registered was red hair. I blinked harder and she - I realized - came into focus. Rachel Elizabeth Dare was looking in the reflective mirror, so it was merely a coincidence that she was staring right at me. The only thing normal about her outfit was the short-sleeved shirt that had a lion on it . . . well, it would've been the only normal thing if that wasn't the lion Percy had slayed in that museum; the rest of her outfit consisted of stockings - which she was currently adjusting - and a multi-colored neon skirt, with flower sandals - it was _raining_ - and the headband keeping her hair back had a hat on it. Her hair was a bit damp because she had let her umbrella down a yard away from where the protection of the awning began. I looked away with a huff, grumbling as I took a sip of my coffee. Couldn't she wear something that wouldn't attract attention?

_There's a woman  
On the outside  
Looking inside  
Does she see me?_

_No she does not_  
_Really see me_  
_Cause she sees_  
_Her own reflection_

_And I'm trying  
Not to notice  
That she's hitching  
Up her skirt_

_And while she's_  
_Straightening her stockings_  
_Her hair_  
_Has gotten wet_

The bells chimed and I heard footsteps behind me, then the squeak of the chair next to me and I turned to see her bright smile, her green eyes dancing. "Annabeth!" She squealed, hugging me from the side. "You haven't been to camp in ages. I really miss you and Percy."

I felt a twinge of jealousy before I shook it off, and remembered that she wasn't able to do that sort of thing anymore, unless she wanted Apollo to . . . blast her to bits? I wasn't exactly sure what he would do, but I knew it would be bad. "We miss you too. We've both been really busy."

"Are you _still _working on Olympus?" she asked incredulously. It was times like these that she just got on my nerves.

"Yes," I said, a little coolly. "I want everything to be perfect for the gods. And I don't want any of them destroying the others because it was better than theirs. You have no idea how hard it is to please them all at the same time."

"Understandable." She nodded looking a little sheepish.

"So how's being the Oracle going?"

"Good, it's just so weird, you know?" When I shook my head she rolled her eyes and continued. "Well, it's like, one second I'm eating or talking to someone - doing anything really - and then all of the sudden the green smoke starts coming and I say things I don't remember. It's just so frustrating."

I smiled sympathetically and yawned. She studied my face before asking, "Not much sleep?"

"No, I was working on the blue-prints last night."

"Ah, so - uh, where's Percy?"

"Oh he went to his Dad's."

"You mean mom's?"

"No, he went to go see er- his _Dad_." The guy was coming back over here and there was no way was I going to say Poseidon.

She nodded and ordered some tea before glancing at the windows. "How long is it going to rain?"

"I think Sally said almost all day." I glanced out at the gray sky, "_He's_ still mad at -," I glanced around, the guy was still within hearing distance. "Er- Nico's dad. But I think Percy is doing a good job at calming him down," I said, gesturing to the calm ocean. "He was arguing with the both of them and I thought a tidal wave was going to strike."

Rachel laughed, "Sounds typical."

I hesitated before nodding. It _was_ typical. For a god anyway.

I saw Thalia running down the street and she dashed through the doors before spotting us and hurrying over. She had a relieved look on her face. "Who'd ya kill?" Rachel asked, laughter coming out.

"Oh, we didn't kill anyone. Just finally caught up with Polythemus."

"That's great!" I exclaimed, hugging her fifteen year-old form.

"Yeah, saw Percy when we dropped him off with Zues."

"Really?" I asked, shocked. Percy wasn't supposed to get back for another couple of days.

"Yeah, he was talking to your mom, Aphrodite, Hera, and his dad. If I didn't know any better I would've thought he was-" She caught herself mid-sentence, looking shocked. "He- I- ... I would've though he was asking about your work." She said, but the tone suggested that she wasn't going to say that originally at all.

"Sure." I said.

Sometime later, I heard the distant chime of a bell and we all said good-bye. Going off in different directions, going to where we belonged.

I could only hope that Percy was on our couch saying, 'I'm back early, Wise Girl!'

_Oh, this rain  
It will continue  
Through the morning  
As I'm listening_

_To the bells_  
_Of the cathedral_  
_I am thinking_  
_Of your voice..._

I wonder what Thalia thought Percy was doing...

**A/N: I really wanted to right a PJO fic, and here it is! I can't wait for the new book (The Lost Hero, Chapters 1&2 at with the password: newhero. If you haven't already seen those) This is an old - 1990 - song, and it goes with like anything. If I got anything wrong, let me know and I'll edit it. I haven't read the books in a while. Who can guess what Thalia thought Percy was doing? Oh, and who can guess who the woman and the man were based off of, hint: for the woman, 'Wotcher.' and a hint for the man: 'Riddikulus.' That pretty much gave it away... But you still don't have a hint to what Thalia's thinking. Ha! **

**Review?**

**EDIT(x2): P.S. There is gonna be a companion story, though it can stand alone, per your request. Yes, I am taking in requests. It'll be up . . . in the next week or so.**


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